Weekend Tastings - Cheap Cider and Fish....ish

How about that GTA storm on Friday, eh? Aside from the fallen trees and some damages the weather got really nice after and stayed cool and sunny for the entire weekend. Sunday was especially nice so I thought it would be to have a few drinks outside on the patio.

Tempt No. 9

I found this one at the LCBO across Sherway Gardens and it took no time for it to win me over with its cool and catchy matte label...and its $1.90 price. 

Well, for $1.90 you do get what you paid for. The aroma does have a healthy dose of sweet strawberries but it also does carry an unpleasant medicinal undertone. The flavour is a bit unbalanced with a mixture of apple and strawberries at the start and some artificial tasting lime right after. Soon after the flavours go away comes a boozy note which lingers well into the finish before it makes way for more of the sweet strawberry flavours...which at this point are a little too sweet and feel a little odd, not quite fake, but odd.

After a few sips I added some ice to the cider, which not made it colder and easier to drink, but also helped turn down the sweetness a little. Though refreshing on a nice sunny day, I think the flavour could be much better or the cider could be improved by adding juice, ice and fresh fruits.

Not the best you can get at the LCBO, but the price is good.

Cost - $1.90 from LCBO

Taste - 6/10

ABV - 4.5%

Kensington Brewing Company FishEye PA

FishEYE PA is not a new beer, but it is new to cans and new to the LCBO. I first had it at the Burger Bar in Kensington Market where it originated last year. In cans, the beer has the same hazy, deep amber color and the same thick, creamy and lacy head.

The aroma is sweet, floral and buttery with a lot of tropical fruits. The taste is similar without the over sweetness or overhoppiness you might find in some similar IPAs. Up front you get a nice tropical fruit flavour with some hops while at the back you get some bittersweet pine, malty and hoppy notes. The finish is bittersweet, but it does seem to lean more towards the bitter side. Some tropical fruits remain, but the majority of the finish is of piney hops. Towards the end of the can some grass notes emerge which tend to add up faster if you have another one.

Overall, a very decent canned version of a pretty good IPA.

Cost - $2.85 from LCBO

Taste - 8.9/10

ABV - 6.5%